the_boy

Looking for some advice on these two models of car. Have done a search on here and mooched around the BMW and MB forums for more advice but am looking for a more independant and up to date view.

Looking for what everyone wants really, performance with economy

Have "roughly" £11, 000 to spend so I'm not buying new. My choices are:

BMW 530d Sport with M-Tech suspension (Automatic)
193bhp
410Nm or 302 lb-ft torque
0-60 in 7.6 seconds
39 MPG
£11, 000 buys a 2002 model with approx 100, 000 miles

or the..

Mercedes E320 CDi Avantgarde (Tiptronic)
195bhp
470Nm or 346 lb-ft torque
0-60 in 8 seconds
36 MPG
£11, 000 buys a 2002 model with approx 90, 000 miles

I'll be remaping the ECU on either car. Obviously mileage doesn't matter to this road munchers and both have the same spec interiors etc

I've heard stories about unreliability and bad builds on the MB. And also stories about the turbos on the BMW diesels going and taking the CATS with them.

Has anyone got any experience of either of these motors? Would be great if someone has owned both! Anyone suggest something similar with bags of torque?

Cheers

PG

You could buy new in the form of a Fabia vRS. 0% finance atm and cheap servicing.
Not in the same category as the above cars but with a remap will be snapping at the heels of them.
If it is a large car you are after or badges cloud your judgement then obviously not the car for you but just thought I would mention it.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Oh sod it, get a big petrol, unless you are doing big miles it doesnt make much difference and to be honest you dont really get the quote mpg on a big one anyway unless you are on the motorway driving at 70.

the_boy

I'm doing about 50 miles a day so including extra miles about 300 a week.

The travel to work is slow and painful but I like to be able to blast the car on the way home to take my mind off a sh1tty day @ work.

*shrugs* I've seen reports of the chipped BMWs getting 40mpg on average

cat7

0-60 in the auto is over 8 and economy down to about 34-36


I've just bought a 53 plate with 30,000 miles so will let you know

out of the 2 the beemer is the better drive, problems to look for:

bm, blown turbos, rear bushes (will deffo need doing at 100k), computer pixels.

merc, big problems with rust on that model and built like a turd. New ones are sorted as are the old ones, I'm afraid 02 put you right into the period when mb (chrysler) lost the plot big time with cost cutting.

51st state

merc is for fat middle age gaurdian readers! or fat paddy plant men!
i have used 03 E320cdi, ok upto 120, then went flat, i had a 2000 bmw 330d that was easy a match, also mercs sat-nav and audio systems are all in one units and they go ker-flunked regular , new units £3000,
i see people going on about manual , but with diesels not revving as hard and loads of torque they mate to auto's very well and bmw auto's have the manual option if you feel sporty ,
merc auto is now 7speed, can't see how manual can be faster off the mark and remember F1 cars are auto!! and drag cars are semi auto

Duck_Pond

So you can get a 335d for £11,000 then? Cool.

logiclee

Father in Law has owned 530D's and E320CDi's. If you drive like your Grandad then you may just see 40mpg.
Have a blast on the way home from work and you will see very low 20's mpg.

Cheers
Lee

John57

I have driven loads of 'old' shape 530d's at work .... they are quick off the mark and up to 50mph but after that are lacking severely !

The 'old' 530d is worse on diesel than the newer shape - we get low 20's around town.

Performance and diesel can go together but you will still pay a price at the pumps - relatively speaking, obviously ....

I would add though that 3 years of driving these diesels has transformed my view of them and in a couple of years I see a strong chance of a 335d touring appearing on my drive !

eldudereno

Bought a 2002 530d Sport manual earlier this year. Even after a remap I found it very boring to drive.

My advice is not to take anyone elses advice and go for a few test drives yourself and make your own mind up

TopBanana

The current generation of Mercs is too unreliable from what I've heard. I'd go for the Beamer

sti-04!!

I have a 55 plate E320cdi at the moment, up until now i havent had a problem. The car drives like a dream ...... its getting traded in for a Q7 & only because i own a rural property that may require a 4x4. If it were me 5 Vs E it would be the E all day long.

lupuss

Have you considered a Seat Leon Cupra TDI - 150 bhp as standard, remap to 200 bhp easily and 300 + lbft of torque. Go to Jabbasport for that...
Fabia vRS is also great - SWBO has one...

For the money you've got you should get an almost new one with low mileage.

A friend of mine had one and it was pretty quick - he recons that it was around the 7 sec to 60 mark after the remap. Since it's a VW it wont go wrong either, and you'll still get let out in the traffic ...

CRABBY1972

i have got a nice alfa 156 20v jtd for sale on an 04 plate 175bhp as standard full leather etc

superb drive and good performance



looking for about 10.5k

rosswalker

My Golf diesel 224bhp 367.4lbft Real Scooby Killer they dont Know whats hit 'em

Andy M3

Wow! That has got some torque! Which Golf do you have, any mods?